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Kalopia
Kalopia (Καλοπία Kalopía), officially known as the Great Republic of Kalopia (Kalopian: Μεγάλη Δημοκρατία της Καλόπια) is a Central Majatran nation. Kalopia is bordered to the west by Deltaria and Jakania, and to the east by Kafuristan and Solentia. If the entire territory claimed by Kalopia is counted, it is the thirty-ninth most populous nation on Terra with a population of 99,757,543, and an area of 1,147,200 km², resulting in a population density of 86.8 people / km². It has several major cities including: Helios, al-Karays, Eleopolis, Galani Augi, Pediada and Hebe. '' Name The nation has been known under a variety of names throughout its history, often used in competition with each other. The use of one name or another has often been the result of political and ideological preference and sparked powerful and occasionally violent disputes. In an attempt to put an end to disputes on the nation's name the government adopted a policy in 4229 which established the terms "Kalopia" and "Wantuni" as interchangeable synonyms, with use depending on history and tradition. *'Kalopia' is the oldest name of the nation, in use since antiquity. The name "Kalopia" contains the root καλός (kalós), meaning "beautiful", "good", "noble" in ancient Kalopian, and the earliest attested name containing this root is the ancient city-state of "Kalops" in Solentia. The name fell into disuse in the Middle Ages and was readopted by Kalopian nationalists during the national awakening in the 25th century. When it is not used to refer to the entire nation, "Kalopia" has a narrower meaning, referring to territories inhabited by ethnic Kalopians. *'Wantuni' is the name used to refer to the nation since the centuries after the Ahmadi conquests. Its origins are unknown, other than the fact that it initially referred to the Wantuni Dynasty, who established their own Emirate after the fall of the Caliphate. In time the term came to refer to the territory over which the Dynasty ruled. Since the resurgence of Kalopian nationalism, the term has generally been used only by Majatran speakers. In its narrow sense "Wantuni" refers to the territories inhabited by ethnic Wantunis, while its use for the entire nation is often, but not always, seen as a symbol of Wantuni supremacism. *'Ajam' is a term introduced under the Ahmadi Caliphate to refer to the region. Literally meaning "silent", "mute", or "foreigner", "Ajam" was a generic term used under the Caliphate to refer to non-Jelbic and non-Majatran-speaking subjects of the Empire, being used more specifically to refer to Kalopians, Istalians, and Augustans. Initially a derogatory term, "Ajam" has in time acquired a more neutral meaning of "foreigner" in general and "Kalopian" in particular, and was the term preferred by Ahmadi Kalopians before the emergence of Kalopian nationalism. The term was occasionally used as a synonym for "Kalopia" in its narrow sense, i.e. the areas inhabited by ethnic Kalopians. *'Najd', meaning "highland", is a poetic term for the nation used by Majatrans since the Ahmadi Caliphate, referring to the nation's hilly terrain, and it is used to refer to the nation especially when it is under Wantuni rule. More narrowly the term refers to the nation's southernmost province, and it is also occasionally used to refer to all regions inhabited by ethnic Wantunis (who refer to themselves as Najdīyūn, "highlanders"). *'Kalopia-Wantuni' emerged as an informal compromise term in the 36th century, when "Kalopia" and "Wantuni" were used under their narrow ethnic definitions. However even during that time Kalopians preferred to refer to the nation as "Kalopia" and Majatrans as "Wantuni". Since then "Kalopia-Wantuni" has occasionally been in use as the official name of the nation under regimes emphasizing the equality of Kalopians and Wantunis. *'Central Majatra' is another compromise term for the nation which was also introduced in the 36th century, intended as an ethnically and linguistically neutral way of referring to the nation. However, given its ambiguity, the term failed to gain wide popularity, and was rarely used as the official term of the nation. History Geography Located in the center of the Majatran continent, Kalopia borders the Majatran Sea to the north and the Perarctic Ocean to the south. Kalopia experiences one of the most diverse climates on Terra, with a Mediterranean climate in the far north, an alpine tundra and glaciers in the northern and southern mountains, a warm desert climate as well as a temperate continental climate in the center, and an Alpine climate along the southern coast. There are four seasons in most of the country: summer (December to February), autumn (March to May), winter (June to August), and spring (September to November). The geography of Kalopia gives it access to many natural resources, primarily: lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, and hydropower potential. Politics and Government The Union of Kalopian Revolutionary Socialist Vanguardships established in 4209 adopted a formal Constitution in 4216 that defined it as a direct democracy and a socialist state. According to the 4216 Constitution, Kalopia is a direct democracy without any political parties, governed by its populace through local popular councils and communes, known as "Vanguardships". The Vanguardships in turn delegate their leadership to People's Congresses, who run the communes on their behalf. The People's Congresses, as well as the trade unions, form the National Congress of Revolutionary Socialist Vanguardships which acts as the legislative body of the Union of Kalopian Revolutionary Socialist Vanguardships. The People's Congresses also elect the Chairman of the National Congress of Revolutionary Socialist Vanguardships, who acts as the Head of State of Kalopia. In addition to the Vanguardships and Congresses, the most important executive body in Kalopia is the Command Council of Revolutionary Socialist Vanguardships, an institution formed of the main Communist, Anarchist, and Libertarian forces loyal to the Vanguard revolution. De iure, the Command Council is fully subordinate to the National Congress, and its main role is to nominate the Council of Ministers (playing the role of a Cabinet), which is then approved or rejected by the National Congress, and to act in an advisory capacity to the national and local congresses. However, the Command Council is the de facto main ruling body of Kalopia, exercising both legislative and executive powers and establishing the policies of the entire state, in what critics consider a dictatorial fashion. Before the re-establishment of a state, Kalopia was unique among the nations of Terra in that it officially did not have a government, being the only region where anarchist ideals succeeded in abolishing the state in 4129. Consequently all governmental services, including justice, legislation, and the military, were taken over by international and local companies, most infamously the slaving corporation Eilomax. Previously Kalopia, known as the Central Majatran Union of Kalopia-Wantuni was a democratic, federal and presidential republic. Executive power was vested in the President of the Union, who was elected directly by universal popular suffrage. Occasionally, a premier or prime minister would serve as a lesser executive official. Legislative power was exercised by the 500-member Congress of the Union, which was elected by mixed-member proportional representation. The Supreme Court was the highest court of appeal and was composed of five judges, appointed by the President. Economy After the establishment of the Union of Kalopian Revolutionary Socialist Vanguardships in 4209 Kalopia has implemented a mix of central planning and local self-management and private co-operatives, initiating a large-scale transformation of society and economy along communist and anarcho-syndicalist lines. A broad system of councils and co-operatives was built, and roughly a third of production is in the hands of autonomous co-operatives, while the rest is under government control, with a command economy accounting for most production in the nation. Kalopia has also completely abolished the income tax, preferring to rely instead on tariffs and prohibitive corporation and luxury goods taxes. Additionally, the government deliberately lowered prices on essential products to make them accessible even to the poorest members of society, while also providing an all-encompassing welfare system, including child benefits, agricultural subsidies, free public healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and free public housing for low income families. Running a relatively low deficit of ₯ 111,162,115,224 (2.39% of GDP), Kalopia has a total GDP of ₯ 4,648,958,431,384.Taking into account most exchange rates, this makes Kalopia a middle economy on Terra. The economies of the two constituents nations, Kalopia and Wantuni are very different in nature, the northern Kalopian one being highly diversified while the southern one largely depends on the petrochemical industry. Given that Kalopia is a coastal nation, bordering seas to both the north and the south, the shipping industry is probably the largest component of the Kalopian economy. Ships flying the Kalopian flag are a common sight throughout the world, but particularly in the Majatran Sea and, according to the National Maritime Industries Board, the Kalopian merchant fleet accounts for possibly as much as 26% of the world's fleet capacity, making it one of the world's largest. The NMIB states that Kalopia ranks first in not only tankers and bulk carriers, but also containers, and ranks second in "other ships." Today's merchant fleet is at an all-time high of roughly 12,000 ships. Kalopia is host to literally hundreds of the world's major shipping firms, including the notable National Shipping Company, whose controlling interest is publicly owned. Given Kalopia's large maritime background, it is no surprise that fishing is another major industry within the nation. Though substantially smaller than Kalopia's merchant fleet, most estimates agree that the nation's commercial fishing fleet is larger than most. Primarily centered around the Majatran Sea, the Kalopian fishing industry caters mainly albacore, salmon, beluga, and bass. These fish are sold to major outlets across the globe, but are also popular at Kalopian fish markets, where live fish, fish meat, and fish products (such as caviar or fish oil) are sold freely. On the opposite coast, in the Perarctic Ocean, commercial fishing is not quite as large an industry, but is dominated heavily by whaling, in demand for whale oil, whale meat, and margarine. Perhaps the most notable component of Kalopia's economy is the tourism industry, from which it gains as much as 15% of its GDP. As recently as 2789, the former capital city of Polykratos welcomed 34.9 million tourists. Kalopia has long been a major tourist attraction for its rich cultural tradition as a center of philosophy, science, and the arts; its historic sites; its well-known spas and thermal springs; and finally its scenic Majatran beaches. In the past, Kalopia had been criticized for lagging behind other nations, as far as tourism amenities and infrastructure were concerned, but in recent years such criticism has subsided. Kalopia now contains literally tens of thousands of hotels, ranging from family-oriented beach resorts to self-proclaimed "seven-star hotels," to inexpensive hostels designed for adventurers on a low budget, and such heavy tourism has given way to booming nightlife sectors in most urban areas of Kalopia. In order to transport such a large influx of tourists, Kalopia relies heavily upon its national carrier, Kalopian Airlines, and hundreds of smaller airlines across the nation. Another popular method of transport is by sea, and Kalopian cruise lines are becoming a popular attraction throughout the Majatran Sea. Despite limited space and resources, agriculture is also an important area of the Kalopian economy, with the most prominent products being wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes, beef, and dairy products. Other fairly important sectors of the Kalopian economy include food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products, mining, and petroleum. The service industry is a rapidly growing side of the economy, currently dominated by multi-service insurance giant Aristocrat Insurance Group, Ltd., with a number of Kalopian banking and financial service organizations gaining credence at home and around the world. Military & Foreign Affairs Demographics Kalopia is a diverse nation, with several of ethnic groups and religions claiming large percentages of the population and often finding themselves in conflict. Ethnicity * Kalopians: 52% * Wantunis: 15% * Siphinans: 13% * Turjaks: 8% * Istochniaks: 4% * Arbanians: 3% * Manoush: 1% * Istalians: 1% * Asli: 1% * Other: 2% Religion * Ahmadi: 67% ** Israi: 37% ** Halawi: 21% ** Zahiri: 5% ** Abadi: 4% * Hosian: 23% ** Aurorian Patriarchal Church: 13% ** Terran Patriarchal Church: 7% ** Apostolic Church of the East: 3% * Irreligious: 7% * Other: 3% Culture Administrative divisions